U. S. Senator Steve Daines, a Montana Republican, praised President Donald Trump last week for his executive action to move forward with the Keystone XL pipeline. Calling the action “common- sense” and “job-creating,” Daines said the step by the new Republican president was welcome news.
“After years of talk and political nonsense, I couldn’t be more thrilled that President Trump has heeded my call to move forward with construction of this project,” said Daines. The pipeline enters the U.S. through Phillps County and travels about 284 miles across easter Montana to South Dakota, said the senator’s office. Claiming it would create about 800 jobs in Montana and generate more than $80 million in Montana property taxes, Daines said the pipeline will be a “much-needed lifeline to many rural Montana communities.”
Critics have said the pipeline will create few permanent jobs and represents an environmental risk. A rancher whose land would be crossed by the pipeline in McCone County, Montana, issued a statement opposing the Keystone XL following Trump’s action. The final Environmental Impact Statement on the pipeline fell far short of demonstrating that it would be in the national interest, said rancher Darrell Garoutte.
